Kitchen refurbishment · England
Kitchen refurbishment in Dorset
Our kitchen refurbishment work covers the whole of Dorset, including Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth.
Is kitchen refurbishment right for your Dorset kitchen?
Plenty of homeowners in Dorset have kitchens with solid carcasses and tired fronts, and a refurbishment lets them keep the layout they are used to while replacing everything they see each day.
If the kitchen in your Dorset flat is compact and well planned, there is little to gain from moving anything; new surfaces, a new sink and better lighting can do most of the work.
What does kitchen refurbishment in Dorset include?
Every kitchen is different, so we confirm the scope in writing. Most jobs of this kind include:
- Free survey visit to check every carcass for water damage, level and fixings
- New doors, drawer fronts, end panels and plinths fitted to the existing units
- Old worktops removed and new laminate, wood or stone worktops fitted
- New handles drilled and fitted, with hinges and drawer runners adjusted or replaced
- Sink and tap replaced on the existing supplies and waste
- Tiled, glass or panel splashback fitted once the new worktops are in
- Under-cabinet and ceiling lighting updated by an electrician and tested to BS 7671
- Damaged units or tired appliances swapped where the rest of the kitchen is sound
How much does kitchen refurbishment cost in Dorset?
As a starting point for Dorset, these ranges include VAT at 20% and allow for typical labour costs in the South West. Prices across the South West are broadly in line with UK averages.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| New doors, worktops and handles on sound unitsCarcasses kept, everything you see replaced | £2,600–£6,200 |
| Refresh plus sink, tap, splashback and lightingA full visual refit without moving services | £4,100–£9,300 |
| Partial refit with some new units and appliancesDamaged units swapped, new appliances fitted | £6,200–£14,400 |
Guide ranges assume the existing layout and services stay in place with laminate or wood worktops; stone worktops, moved services, new circuits, flooring and plastering are priced as separate lines. Prices include VAT at 20%.
Kitchens in homes across Dorset
You will find thatched cottages, Victorian and Edwardian villas, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows throughout Dorset. Edwardian villas in Bournemouth often have a separate kitchen and scullery, while 1930s semis and bungalows tend to have a compact room at the back.
Most of Dorset has hard water, so limescale on taps, sinks and boiling water taps is common, and a scale-reducing filter can help. Flats in converted villas may have no lift and shared hallways, and narrow village lanes can make delivering long worktops difficult.
Converted villa flats often mean fitting a full kitchen into a small room while keeping neighbours and shared services in mind. Many bungalow owners choose to open the kitchen into the dining room, so the layout and new lighting need planning together.
Rules for kitchen refurbishment in Dorset
Refurbishing a kitchen in England needs no planning permission or Building Regulations approval in itself, though a listed home may need listed building consent before historic features are removed. Swapping light fittings or adding sockets on existing kitchen circuits is not notifiable under Part P but must meet BS 7671; a new circuit is notifiable. A gas hob must be disconnected and reconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Thatched and listed cottages may need listed building consent for internal changes, and owners of flats in converted houses usually need the freeholder's consent before work starts.
Before you start
- If several units are damaged, the layout no longer suits you or services need moving, a full new kitchen may be better value.
- Measure replacement doors against your carcasses rather than the old doors, as widths, hinge positions and drawer box sizes vary between ranges.
- Stone worktops are templated once the old tops are off and fitted about one to two weeks later, so plan for a gap without full worktops.
- Open the sink cupboard and look for swollen board or staining; water-damaged carcasses should be replaced, not hidden behind new doors.
- Photograph the inside of a few cupboards, including the hinges and drawer boxes, so replacement doors and fronts can be matched to your existing carcasses.
- If your Dorset kitchen has a tiled splashback, decide early whether it stays; removing old tiles often damages the plaster behind and adds a day of making good.
Questions about kitchen refurbishment in Dorset
How much does kitchen refurbishment cost in Dorset?
For new doors, worktops and handles on sound units, budget around £2,600 to £6,200 including VAT in Dorset. That reflects typical costs in the South West; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of Dorset?
Yes. We carry out kitchen refurbishment across Dorset, including Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Christchurch. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
How do you check whether my kitchen units are sound?
At the survey we check the carcasses one by one. We look for swollen or flaking board around the sink, dishwasher and kettle area, staining from old leaks, sagging shelves, damaged hinge holes, loose wall fixings and units that have dropped out of level. Sound carcasses are kept, and damaged ones are listed on the quote as replacements so nothing is left to chance later.
Can I keep my existing appliances during a refurbishment?
Usually, yes. Built-in ovens, hobs and integrated appliances can stay if they work well and suit the existing housings. If you replace one, the new appliance must match the housing dimensions and door-fixing method, and a larger oven or an induction hob may need a new cooker circuit. We check model numbers and sizes at the survey, before you buy anything.
Is it worth refurbishing a kitchen rather than replacing it?
Often, yes, if the carcasses are sound and you are happy with the layout. A refurbishment keeps the hidden structure and spends the budget on what you see. It stops being good value when several units are water-damaged, when you want to move the sink, hob or walls, or when the units are an unusual size that new doors will not suit.
Kitchen refurbishment in towns across Dorset
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Kitchen refurbishment in Bournemouth
- Kitchen refurbishment in Poole
- Kitchen refurbishment in Weymouth
- Kitchen refurbishment in Christchurch
- Kitchen refurbishment in Dorchester
- Kitchen refurbishment in Bridport
- Kitchen refurbishment in Blandford Forum
- Kitchen refurbishment in Swanage
- Kitchen refurbishment in Sherborne
- Kitchen refurbishment in Shaftesbury